We’re thrilled to share our conversation with cultural critic Eileen G’Sell on her first book of nonfiction: Lipstick. We discuss the many meanings behind the iconic object and how attitudes towards lipstick are shaped by time, culture, and, of course, the TV, films, and music videos we grew up with.

In this episode, Arielle and Gabe speak with Andrew Bertaina, the DC-based author and professor, whose most recent book, Ethan Hawke & Me, explores his love for the Richard Linklater trilogy and how his appreciation for the Before films has expanded with time and new life experiences. We talk about the unique power of the films we grew up with and why revisiting films can be just as impactful as watching them for the first time.

Links:

Buy the book

Andrew’s website

The Theory of Receptivity and Some Thoughts on Ethan Hawke’s Face by Michelle Orange

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In this episode, Arielle and Gabe discuss Derek Thompson’s article, “The Anti-Social Century” and what it means to watch TV in a time of increased loneliness. We discuss online discourse, fractured viewing patterns, doomscrolling, the joys of discussing the TV shows we love, the power of small talk, and strategies for how we can engage video content in more meaningful ways.

Arielle and Gabe discuss how streaming culture, social media, and the shift back to movie theaters, shaped how they experienced art and culture in 2024.

Tune is for our top TV shows and films of the past year and what we are most excited to see in 2025, as well as some glimpses into what Together, Alone will tackle in the new year.

In this episode, Arielle and Gabe speak with Greg Dember, the Seattle-based author and musician, whose recently released book Say Hello to Metamodernism: Understanding Today’s Culture of Ironesty, Felt Experience and Empathic Reflexivity explores how culture that combines the ironic and the sincere has been captivating us for the past twenty years. We talk about the unique power of the “dramedy” and why shows like The Bear have been so successful in making us laugh and cry, as well as what the future holds for tenderhearted musicians, artists, and writers.

Links:

Buy the book

Greg Dember's Website

YouTube Channel

What is this? A crossover episode? Arielle's conversation with Greg and Linda about Bojack Horseman

Notes on Metamodernism article by Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Akker

Alonso Duralde is a film critic, podcaster, and author. His most recent book is Hollywood Pride: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Representation and Perseverance in Film. The book covers more than a century of LGBTQ+ history in film, beginning with an Edison Company test reel. We talk about this history, Alonso’s research and writing, and his work as a critic in print, online, and on podcasts. We also spend a few minutes talking about one of the movies highlighted in the book, The Last of Sheila.

Links:

* Buy the book

* Read Alonso at the Film Verdict

* And listen to:

* Linoleum Knife with Dave White (and bonus podcasts on Patreon)

* Breakfast All Day with Christie Lemire (also on YouTube)

* Maximum Film

* Deck the Hallmark

* The Film Library

Discussed: Higher education, pop culture, nostalgia, Gen Alpha, Gen Z, Millennials, Elder Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, Kyle Chayka’s Filterworld, empathy, generation gaps, wisdom, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, history, cultural context, teaching, learning, feminism.

We’re thrilled to share our conversation about teaching pop culture with cultural critic and senior lecturer Eileen G’Sell. We discuss Eileen’s fascinating essay on how algorithms are shaping young people’s understanding of culture, and also explore generation gaps, nostalgia, pop culture, wisdom, and finding ways to escape the algorithm.

Discussed: Artificial intelligence, creativity, algorithms, human skills, expertise, trust, journalism, education, efficiency, hope

In this month’s conversation, Arielle and Gabe talk about the way that AI is increasingly used in a variety of fields and how we can continue to value and embrace human creativity in this time of profound technological change.

Discussed: The White Lotus, opera, gothic literature, aesthetics, ingenues, hotels, Mike White, beauty, sadness, sexuality, desire, Madam Butterfly

In this month’s conversation, Arielle and Gabe welcome guest critic Dustin Friedman to discuss how Season 2 of The White Lotus embraces a gothic literary tradition, the show’s thrilling sensuality, and whether or not Daphne is a tragic heroine.

Dustin Friedman is Associate Professor in the Department of Literature and affiliated faculty in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at American University. He specializes in Victorian and modern literature, gender and sexuality studies, queer theory, and the history and theory of aesthetics. He is the author of Before Queer Theory: Victorian Aestheticism and the Self (Johns Hopkins, 2019) and Nineteenth-Century Literature in Transition: The 1890s (Cambridge, 2023).

Discussed: International films, audio mixing, closed captioning, Swiss movie theater policies, The Boy and the Heron

Who says no one reads anymore? Netflix reports that 40% of viewers watch with subtitles or closed captioning. Younger viewers, especially, say text-on-screen is essential. The growing comfort with subtitles may now be contributing to a rising interest in (and appreciation of) international cinema, with movies in languages other than English faring well at the box office and at U.S. awards shows.

In this month’s conversation, Arielle and Gabe talk about subtitles, closed captioning, and the growing trend of reading along while we watch.